Grey Matter
by Thrown Stone
Summary: The United States of America was not the only country affected by the 'Green Flu', Canada is right next door. Read the story of Reynt as he makes the arduous trek to the promised safe zone in Washington D.C through the biting cold of the Canadian winter.
1. Wake up and smell the coffee

**Grey Matter**; _Prologue_

Grey asphalt. Miles and miles of the substance used to connect human settlements to one another for faster transit with internal combustion driven vehicles, or alternatively electric ones. Now they only sat as a sad testament to human engineering as they lay barren and empty, covered in a thick layer of snow. I stopped for but a moment on my endless trek to adjust my black sunglasses slightly to alleviate the sun's burning rays reflecting off the bright snow against my tired eyes, intensified by the global warming that had stripped the U.V protection from the atmosphere and set the climate into the extremes, warm areas becoming deserts and cold areas becoming but dead tundras. I had just started winter break in high school as the 'Green flu' hit America, the media mirroring exactly what they had done for the 'Swine flu' a few years prior. I personally just blew it off as yet another giant over reaction to yet another almost harmless sickness, but stocking up on instant noodle packages and water just in case the market crashed as a result of the swarming mass of idiots panicking over absolutely nothing. I changed my outlook quickly when people started to 'vanish' or 'disappear' in my neighbourhood, acts of violence being blown off as rioting by the media. Oddly reminiscent of a 'Class 2 outbreak' in Max Brook's zombie survival guideBut that was fiction. Right?

Three days into the first week of the apocalypse my mother had gotten sick with it, her skin assuming a sickly grey tone as she lay in bed, in pain. The doctor announced my father and I were immune from the effects and should just keep her comfortable while it passed. It was then I knew the 'Green flu' was nothing to be discounted. It was then I knew the 'Green flu' had reached my front door. Looking online in the large search engines told of nothing, everything looking to be filtered by the U.S organization called 'CETA'. So I dug deeper. Asking my friend in Washington over STEAM about what was going on, he replied quickly and rushed, completely unlike him. He told me the army was setting up barricades everywhere, the president apparently haven been taken to an underground bunker of some sort. He told me that I should get out of Canada quickly and head for Washington D.C as fast as I could with the largest group of people I could muster with the largest amount of weapons we could find. I told him he was insane, that he was over reacting just like everyone else. He quit out of the program after that, and I never heard from him again. I had gathered a few essential objects such as a knife, a crowbar, a medical kit, water, a small amount of non perishable food and some navigational equipment all gathered in my small profile backpack, in the unlikely case that he was not insane. It was four days in when everything else went that way.

OoO

It was an normal enough morning, beginning with my father walking into my room at around 7:00am and whipping a spare pillow at my face before informing me that my coffee would be read in two minutes. Groaning and rubbing my eyes, I got dressed in my usual garb which included A grey zip up sweater with a bio-hazard insignia on the front embroidered in yellow with a dark blue t-shirt underneath and worn black jeans. Grumbling to myself about not going to bed at 3:00am, I made the arduous trek all the way to the wash-room just down the hall. Flipping on the dim lights brought my reflection into view. Looking back at me was a teenager at around five foot eight with medium length black messy hair and violet eyes. The colour being extremely rare in humans and I was often asked how or why I had them, or if I had colored contacts.

Running my hands through the mop currently situated on top of my head I rummaged around in the cabinet under the sink for my ever missing brush. "Well, looks like today I get to do absolutely nothing...again." I sighed, finding the brush and running it through my hair a few times slowly while whistling loudly, nearly making it look presentable. Deciding my mediocre job was satisfactory for my activities for the day, I quickly brushed my teeth and splashed a fair bit of water on my face before drying off to wake myself up. After my morning ritual was complete I approached the staircase that led to the first floor of my two story house, my stomach notifying me of the fact that I needed a meal of some sort. Reaching the said apparatus, I looked down and found a absolutely terrifying sight.

My father was laying on the stairs with a large gash in his stomach, which rose and fell slightly showing that he was alive. Running downstairs quickly I stared in horror at the carcase that was my mother, laying a few feet away from my father at the bottom with a knife stuck through her skull with blood and bile nearly coating her, a sickly white had clouded her eyes. "Holy fuck!" I yelled loudly, waking my father from his imposed unconscious state."Hey Reynt..." He muttered quietly, obviously fighting to stay awake now, most likely exhausted from blood loss. "What happened?" I nearly yelled as I sat down beside him and lifted his head off the stairs, now stained in his blood. "She...changed...attacked me...killed her..." He explained between hacking coughs, blood now dribbling out of the side of his mouth.

Chuckling slightly he sighed, now looking me directly in the eyes. "Looks like...your zombie apocalypse finally happened, huh?" He joked with a smile, he always knew how to change the worst situations into a joke. "Heh...yeah..." I choked, forcing a smile. It was obvious he was just hanging on now, and that there was nothing I could do for him as his blood stained my hands. "Listen...before she changed...we were watching the news..." He paused to turn his head away from me and give out a hacking cough, more blood spraying from his mouth onto the white carpet of the stairs, further staining them. "...and they said that they were setting up a safe zone in Washington D.C down in the states, something about immunes only being allowed in." He finished, letting out another wet cough to the side. "What are you talking about, I don't have anyway to get there!" I yelled back at him in desperation.

"Walk. Keep the sun in your eyes in the morning, right cheek at noon and at your back at sunset along the trans-Canada highway..." He stopped, eyes going wide for a second before drooping, a gurgling sound coming from his throat. He had drowned in his own blood. Sighing deeply, I slipped my fingers over his eyelids to close them. Getting up and walking into the kitchen showed where the coffee pot sat, still full of the last bit of humanity I was expecting to receive for a long time. I had a long day ahead of me. Grabbing a mug from the cabinet I filled it with the liquid caffeine and placed the cover over it, ensuring freshness and heat for a little while longer. After I had secured my drink I picked up the zombie survival guide sitting on the kitchen table from last night and flipped to the desired chapter: 'On the move.'

OoOoO

Screams filled the air for most of the day, sometimes even the occasional small and large calibre gunshot going off, indicating that some of the hunters in the area were attempting to ward off their changed loved ones with their rifles. The screaming died down after a while, only the odd breaking window could be heard off in the distance through the walls of my house as I prepared to move, running a check-list in my head of what I had acquired for my trek; A crowbar for getting doors and skulls open alike, a old combat knife for any miscellaneous purpose I needed it for, a two litre water bottle, my iPhone with a solar charger, a few sets of high quality ear-buds, a 'flint and steel' as my father called it, a extra change of clothing, a wind-up radio/flashlight in the case that anyone still alive wanted to send a signal or something and a small grey backpack to put it all into.

After going over everything in my head, I quickly packed up and turned to give my home one last look. The walls still showed signs of a struggle with dents lining most of them, My parents still lay where they fell, covered in blood like the stairwell and floor around them. Mirrors on the walls lay untouched, reflecting everything neatly. Suddenly an idea struck me. I went over to the desk that still sat in the living room and acquired a black paint marker, then turned to the wall nearest to the door. Stepping forward, I started writing.

OoOoOoO

Around five minutes later, I backed away from the wall and admired my handy work. On the wall I had written my name, age, what happened, where I was going and open permission to use the house for anything that anyone may want to. Placing the marker into my backpack that sat on the floor and going towards the wall closet near the door, I quickly donned my hiking boots and thin grey wind breaker over my thick sweater that was warm enough to be comfortable down to -45 degree Celsius weather, but was weak to wind, then moved on to pulling on my grey winter hiking pants. Then I took the balaclava off the hook next to the closet and slipped it on after placing a set of ear-buds into my ears, the smooth fabric barely noticeable against my skin, after which I put my sunglasses on before pulling on my grey snowboarding gloves, a very grippy surface on the bottom of each finger and on the palm area.

Satisfied with my work I took one last look around. This time my eyes fell onto the mirror attached to the wall nearest to me. Looking back at me was an all grey clad figure with no skin showing. Nodding to myself for luck, I pulled on my backpack and picked up my crowbar. Stopping before I opened the door, I pulled out my iPhone and plugged the free hanging black wire from my balaclava and activated the shuffle music feature before slipping the device into my jean's pocket under my outer pants. Finished with the deed, Rise Against's _prayer of the refugee_ started playing through the small speakers at one quarter volume. Smiling inwardly, I opened the door and looked around. My neighbourhood lay barren with bodies frozen in various positions as the snow fell softly, slowly covering the blood stains that lay around them. Grimacing at the sight, I locked the door and turned towards the broken city that was Airdrie and started walking.

"Warm yourself by the fire, son, And the morning will come soon... " The music started as I stepped off the front porch, my boots emitting a soft crunch as I set foot into the fresh snow, indicating the sub zero weather would most likely give anyone unprepared frostbite. The guide had said zombies freeze, right? Nodding to myself at the revelation, I slipped the crowbar through the slot meant for skate or snowboards and set off further down the driveway onto the road and started at a brisk pace down the sidewalk. "...And the morning will come soon. I'll tell you stories of a better time, In a place that we once knew. Before we packed our bags And left all this behind us in the dust, We had a place that we could call home, And a life no one could touch..."

End of prologue

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><p><strong>And that, dear children is how you successfully make a L4D fic with no zombies in the first chapter. <strong>

**Anyway, like my other fic, I'll only work on a second chapter when this gets at least one or two positive reviews.**

**Even if its not positive, flame away and tell me how much I suck at these kinds of things.**


	2. Old friends and video games

**Grey matter**; _Old friends and video games._

The white particles of frozen water fell softly, they had been doing such since I had left my house, no longer a home as it was. The only sound for what I perceived to be for miles was the soft crunching beneath my feet and the howling wind that blew between the empty houses that lined the road to the left and right of me. I haven't seen a single moving thing since I left, not even the bodies were left to keep me company as they all had been completely covered in the snow. Sighing deeply I stopped and took out my iPhone and tapped the home button. The screen lit up with the picture of vendetta's mask, highlighted by white numerals indicating the time at the top of the screen. It read 5:50pm.

Looking around as I placed the device back into my pocket, I noted the deep red hue the sky had assumed. It was going to be a cold night. I would not survive it in this gear. Grumbling some curses, I turned off the sidewalk up to a nearby house with its lights still on. Pulling out my crowbar from the skateboard slot on my backpack, I raised it and stepped slowly towards the door. Reaching it without the fabric of reality exploding, I pressed the door bell. Might as well ask before breaking in. Some thrashing around sounded off behind the door before what sounded like the deadbolt sliding back into the door from it's slot in the frame. Opening slightly, a barrel of a shotgun levelled at my face through the slot. "Who are you, and what do you want?" The voice ordered, clearly feminine. "My name is Reynt, and I want a place to stay the night and not freeze to death." I replied quickly, shuffling to the side slightly as I did so. The barrel pulled back quickly, and the door opened completely. Standing there was my classmate Kailey, shotgun now pointing at the ground. "Reynt?" She questioned, bewildered at my appearance as she took in my clothing choice and gaped. "That's me, but I'm sure your letting the cold air in." I joked, noting her clothing choice of grey pyjama bottoms and a blue sweater. "Uh, yeah, come in..." She trailed off as she backed up, allowing me entrance.

Walking into her residence, I looked around and noted the complete lack of anyone else in the spacious house. "Wow, I didn't know I had gotten this far. Isn't this the other side of town?" I enquired idly as I replaced my crowbar into the slot of my back pack and pulled my hood down and pulled my balaclava off after knocking off the snow on my boots at the door. Taking off my backpack and setting it down, took a more detailed observation of the house. The windows had barricaded with what looked to be sheet metal and nailed on tightly. She could not have done this one her own. "Hey Kailey, how did you get those windows like that?" I questioned, taking off my wind breaker and setting it down . "My dad..." She started, placing the shotgun down onto the table next to the door and taking a set in one of the leather, plush chairs. Taking off my hiking pants and placing them on a hanger next to the windbreaker, I sat down in the chair next to her and sank into it. It had been hours since I stopped walking. "He nailed them up and took mom to go get my uncle and bring him back..." She continued, slouching in her seat slightly. "That was two days ago and the drive only takes ten minutes..."

She finished, tears looking to be welling up in the corners of her normally vibrant green eyes, now dulled. She had cracked. Sighing heavily, I got up out of the chair and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I woke up to see my mother with a six inch blade stuck through her temple and my father with a four inch deep gash from his collar bone to his stomach. He told me to go to Washington D.C before he drowned in his own blood..." I stated in monotone, pausing for a second to get her full attention, her eyes showing confusion. "At-least you still have a chance to see your parents again." I finished in a reassuring tone, forcing a smile.

"T-thanks Reynt..." She shot up and latched onto me, finally letting lose and crying into my shoulder.

OoO

Hours later, we sat on the large leather couch in her basement playing video games on the projector screen, currently we were playing a robot war game called 'Mech-warrior'. The basic gist of the game being to shoot the enemy until they blew up and take their base.

IiI

"_Commander! We're taking heavy fire from a medium lance at sector 3A-beta!" The shrill voice of the recruit cried, explosions going off in the back ground. "Pull back to 5C-delta and reinforce Cleo group's position." I ordered, then turned my 'Mech around. It was a command class War-hammer, its communication array and sensors upgraded, with much thicker armour surrounding the cockpit. The drawback being a rather pathetic armament of a single Long range missile bank and a medium laser on the right arm. Now facing the star of heavy Mechs. "Alright Delta group, split into long and short range, long range is now under classification 'Lima', short is 'Leo'." I continued as I reviewed the map that gave rather poultry information. On it lay a city of twenty miles across, battle torn and crumbling. My command centre (where I was now) held a landing zone and forty metre tall walls build of solid steel._

"_Kailey, where are you?" I asked, her squad had stopped sending reports. "Under...atta...need...assistance!..." Her voice came back through static. She was being jammed. "Lima group, get on top of those buildings in sector 2A-Gamma and give support to lance Q-1." I ordered as I looked over the map once more. Kailey's last known position was three miles from the base, meaning an attack was imminent. "Leo group , move to defensible positions around the base." I ordered, affirmatives returning. "Cleo group, status?" I called, their position lay ten miles from base near the centre of the city. "All clear sir." Came the monotone reply. "Right then. Move to assist Q-1." I ordered, a plan forming. Cleo group comprised of long and medium range light Mechs. If I could draw out Kailey's attackers with the bait the light Mechs provided, I could wipe them all out with Lima group's long range Gauss cannons and missiles. _

"_No targets of opportunity." Leo group's leader sounded off. "In position." Lima group stated. "Eta one minute." Cleo called. "Q-1, status?" I called, not worried in the least. She was the best pilot in the whole battalion. "Heavy losses, I only have two Mechs left, including me. Orders?" She replied, sounds of a fight in the background. "Pull back, Cleo is moving in to assist." I ordered, smirking. Too easy. "Taking fire! Heavy Mechs sixty meters!" Cleo yelled, panic obvious in the leader's voice. "Leo, open fire sixty meters north of Cleo's position." I ordered calmly. "Roger." Came the monotone reply._

"_Light causalities sustained, position clear." The relieved tone of Cleo reported as I looked at the now-updated map. Activating a green and red overlay, red being confirmed enemy positions, green being friendly. The map was roughly divided into two, for now anyway._

_The vanguard of the enemy force destroyed, the offensive was most likely called off. "Zulu group, status?" I asked, looking towards the grey, cloudy sky for any sign of the bomber group. "Right over ya!" The radio crackled, annoyingly so. Seconds later, the bomber group consisting of ten fliers swooped overhead at a breakneck pace. "Begin assault, I want that line crippled!" I yelled, looking back around the base. "All ground forces, form up on me!" I ordered, and slammed the speed lever in the cock pit forward, causing the heavy command Mech to lurch and begin running towards the nearby entrance. "Roger!" Came the disjointed, mashed reply of all four group commanders. _

IiI

As the assault began, the lights cut out abruptly along with the console and screen. "Dammit." I hissed, I was really getting into it. "Looks like the power cut out." Came the sage-like reply from Kailey. "I noticed." I stated as I pulled out my iPhone for light. It was dead. "You got a flashlight on hand?" I asked, turning in the general direction of Kailey. "...No..." She replied quietly, obvious fear creeping into her tone. She was afraid of the dark. "You alright?" I questioned, full well knowing that she was not. No reply, only panicked gasping came from her. "Hey, hey, its okay..." I cooed as I attempted to calm her down, reaching out to her. No dice, still hyperventilating. Finally reaching her, I yanked her arm, and in effect, her towards me and enveloped her in a hug. "Shhh...its okay..." I reassured, rubbing small circles into the middle of her shaking back. Physically feeling her calm down massively, I attempted to see something in the pitch black haze that surrounded us, not even allowing a foot of visual range.

Barely noticeable in the dark lay the reflective material on my backpack. Pulling Kailey along with me, I reached down and pulled the radio/flashlight from one of the pouches. Switching it on, I swung it around to behold the sight of the room still bathed in darkness. "Well, if the power is cut, that means the furnace would be too." I thought out loud, shining the bright L.E.D upwards to give the semblance of a light on in the ceiling, casting the room in a dim white light. "The water heater runs on a separate circuit that connects to the solar panels on the roof." She stated, her voice still wavering slightly. "So that means we still got water." I noted, plugging my iPhone into the wall and not getting anything. Sighing, I placed the device and it's cord into my backpack.

"Odd system you have." I said idly as I zipped up my sweater before noticing the fact she was only clothed in her light sleeping ware. Unzipping and taking off the garment quickly, I walked up behind her and placed it around her shoulders before she could get cold. "Ah...thanks..." She intoned quietly, slipping her arms through the sleeves. "Don't mention it." I replied, glancing at my digital watch quickly. It read: 1:43am. Yawning and suddenly realizing how tired I was, I stifled a shiver and turned to Kailey. "Well, it's pretty late, and I've been walking for hours. You got anywhere for me to sleep?" I asked, stretching my arms slowly. "Uh, yeah..." She confirmed as she motioned for me to follow. Bringing the flashlight to bear, I complied and walked down the hall after her.

Coming up to a door quickly, she stopped in-front of it. "This is the guest room..." She started before pointing to a door opposite to it. "...and that is my room." She finished before opening the door to her own. "Goodnight Reynt." She called as she closed it behind her. Nodding after her, I turned to my assigned quarters and opened the door. Walking in and shining the light around, I mentally noted the closet beside the door and examined the bed. Covering the queen sized bed was a thick blanket colored grey with a single black stripe down the middle. Above the bed was a dug-in window with steel grating over the hole in the ground above it. Quickly taking off my shirt, I lifted the covers and dove under, covering myself quickly with them.

Sighing heavily, I let my eyes slip close as I willed myself to sleep. After a few minutes I started whistling, becoming bored quickly with not doing anything. Starting off with the Tetris theme, then moving to Maroon 5's 'This love', I felt myself beginning to slip into a less conscious state when I heard the door open slowly, the wood brushing audibly against the thick carpet. Feigning sleep, I evened and softened my breathing to see what the intruder would do. Soft, padded foot steps sounded off as the interloper stepped closer. Soft, obviously forced breathing served as an accompaniment as it stepped even closer, now on the opposite side of the bed I was.

A voice softly cursed itself in a feminine tone, now obviously Kailey. I remained with the ruse, grumbling and turning slightly to mess with her. As I turned, her breath hitched. She was afraid of the results that might occur if I were to wake. Unexpectedly, she lifted the covers and scooted in beside me, attempting to do so as quietly as possible. Turning away from me at around a foot away, she settled in with fast, laboured breathing.

Smirking inwardly, I thought up a plan to mess with her even more. Snaking my hand up from my side and across the distance to her, I reached around and pulled her towards me and squeezed slightly. She nearly jumped out of her skin. Still apparently attempting not to wake me, she kept completely still. Now completely spooning her, I could only imagine the look on her face as I could feel her frantic heart beating hard and fast. Eventually she calmed down and settled in again, apparently content I was still asleep. Smirking indignantly, I let myself fall unconscious once more.

* * *

><p><strong>And that, is how you write a L4D story with no zombies in the first <em>TWO<em> chapters.**

**Major thanks to my lone reviewer, she gave a nice critique. **

**Anyway, to those interested, I'll be including actual features of L4D in the next few chapters. I might even finish this story if I get more reviews.**


	3. New perspectives

**Grey matter**; _New perspectives_

I opened my eyes slowly, light from the window above the bed I laid on illuminating the room in a white glow. Taking in my surroundings, I noted the fact that a unfamiliar ceiling lay above me, immaculately smooth compared to the dimpled ceiling that normally greeted me back at home. Slowly, so slowly, the events of yesterday presented themselves to me. From waking up to both of my parents covered in blood to walking for hours upon hours. Then finding my friends house. Then playing video games. Then going to bed. Then her coming into my bed and- what? Suddenly in a panic, I looked down to behold the sight of Kailey snuggled into my chest on top of me, still clothed, thankfully.

Sighing lightly, I examined her more closely. Her eyes were closed with a peaceful look adorning her features, a light smile playing on her lips. Looking back on our relationship in school, she had always avoided me whenever possible, and a blush had always followed when I asked her for assistance in something. I always brushed it off as her just not being interested in me, or her being shy. Examining her closely now, I realized just how attractive she was. Long, black hair that flowed all the way down to her shoulders, a perfectly sculpted face with a light dusting of freckles over her cheeks...and she had at least borderline C-cup breasts. Very attractive...and if she did not get off me soon, blood flow to a certain area may increase severely. Flushing heavily, I shifted slightly, causing her to grumble slightly before settling down again. Clearing my throat quietly, I attempted to lift her off by her sides, but she grappled with me, and wrapped her thin arms around me with her breasts now pressed into my chest. Okay, too far. "Kailey..." I attempted quietly, to which she only hummed something unintelligible. "Kailey, wake up..." I continued. "Mmmmnn..." She moaned quietly, shifting more, now wrapping her legs around mine.

Deciding that was enough, I attempted to pry her off, but her grip was that of iron. "Kailey, mind getting off me?" Moaning slightly, her eyes fluttered open, staring right into my eyes. Blinking hard a few times, she took stock of how she was situated. She blushed hard. "OH GOD!" She screamed, launching herself off of me onto the side of the bed, landing in a heap with most of the covers entangling her. "Interesting sleeping place you chose..." I noted jokingly, reaching over and lifting a sheet, exposing her blushing face. "Um...I...ah..." She attempted, refusing to meet my eyes. Struggling with the heavy bedding, she realized she could not move. She was stuck. "Um, a little help here?" She asked, still not looking me in the eyes. Chuckling lightly, I laid back down with my hands behind my head. "Nope. Not until you tell me why I woke up to you doing your best to emulate a blanket." I quipped, sighing slightly.

Looking over at her, I noted the fact that she was now blushing even more heavily, looking to the side in embarrassment. "I..." She started, and then huffed lightly. "Yeeeeees?" I hummed with a cat-like grin. "Got...cold okay? My sheets are thin." She finished, now looking down, ashamed. "Meh, could have just asked for an extra sheet." I intoned, reaching over to her. In response she just growled as I pulled at one of the sheets. Not budging, the sheets still entangled her. "OH, come on, I thought you were strong!" She huffed, an annoyed tone prevailing her voice. "Oh reeaaally...?" I asked, getting up on one knee. "Yeah, yo-WAH!" She yelped out as I tugged on one of the sheets hard, sending her sprawling onto me.

YoYoY

_**The grey wanderer and the inhibitor landed atop of one another, falling out of my view through the protected frozen air stuff. I had been following the wanderer for hours while jumping from roof to roof before he stopped and rested inside the impenetrable building, loud noises had come from the lower levers last night, but stopped when a leaf-less tree fell over in a shower of light. All activity had stopped after that, rendering me staying awake useless. I had awoken to their voices, squealing like so many annoying insects. Shifting my position slightly I pulled the black warm cover's hood further over my face and growled quietly. If they did not move soon the **_**other****_ would come. _**

_**Deciding the progress they would make in the next hour would not be detrimental to my assignment, I hopped off the roof I was on to another, then another, picking up speed quickly with the greatest of ease as the cold stuff flew everywhere in a cloud. Reaching my intended destination soon after I began jumping which consisted of a larger building with six frozen air levels, I stopped silently on a nearby roof at level with the middle. After screeching loudly at the building, I sat completely still with my head down as I waited for the response. It came quickly in the form of a hacking cough in rapid succession, signalling I was allowed entrance. Growling my affirmation as I readied my legs for the slightly longer jump and released, sending me over the distance. Landing on the top on a single knee, I stood up slowly as to not disturb the being that now sat a short distance away from me. **_

_**Its lower body had solidified into a blob of flesh, arms had been absorbed into the main torso, all supporting a long shaft of a grey substance with small protrusions poking out every two feet up the ten foot pole. It was the relay. Growling my greeting to the group of brothers standing guard as I stepped closer still and sat but feet away from it. I closed my eyes as I sat and crossed my arms as a heavy weight draped itself around my head, warm and comforting. "5132, you have returned with knowledge?" A low, arid voice questioned. "The inhibitor has not moved, but a grey wanderer has entered the building with her." I called back, my voice harsh but legible with a dry overtone to it after much practice for the Alpha's ends. "A grey wanderer?" He asked, a hint of worry lacing his tone. "Yes, same tall as her." I responded brokenly, confused by his worry. "Keep watching them, report the moment they leave." He ordered quickly and cut the connection, the weight ripping itself from my body. Getting up slowly and rubbing my neck uncomfortably, I turned and walked off sighing. This was going to be a while.**_

YoYoY

We sat in her kitchen, I was clad in my normal clothing and she had hot pink fleece sweatpants with her blue sweater on. She was still refusing to look at me. Sighing heavily, I leaned back farther into the plush seat and let my head fall onto the top of the chair as I cast a sideways glance to my iPhone that sat in the window sill, light reflecting off of the dark blue solar panel connected to the device onto the ceiling above me. "You know..." I started, causing Kailey to look up from her cereal for but a second as I moved my lazy gaze upon her, in proxy sending her eyes back down. "...you'll have to stop ignoring me eventually." I finished, smirking slightly. In response, she just turned her head away and huffed once again to what I think amounted to around three hundred times by now.

"Well, since you don't feel like talking, I think I'll go listen to music." I stated cheerfully as I stood up proper and walked over towards the the device that would allow me to commit such an action. Pulling my earbuds from my pocket, I placed the grey devices into my ears then picked up the now fully charged iPhone before plugging the wire into the hole situated in the top. Finished setting up the hardware necessary, I sat back down and flipped the slide to unlock bar with my thumb, summoning the home menu up. Clicking the music app, I browsed through the large collection laden on the sixty four gigabyte drive. Settling on a play-list I had put together for relaxing and locking the device, Maroon 5's 'This love' starting to play through the earbuds, deafening me completely. "I was so high I did not recognize The fire burning in her eyes, The chaos that controlled my mind...Whispered goodbye and she got on a plane Never to return again But always in my heart..." The lyrics started as I let my eyes close as I leaned back onto the chair and place my hands behind my head. "...This love has taken it's toll on me, She said goodbye too many times before. And her heart is breaking in front of me and I have no choice 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore..." The music continued as I sung along without fully realizing it, it being a hammered in reaction to listening to music I know. Suddenly a bud cut out, silenced completely with a pathetic sputter.

Not really minding it, I didn't react. "Hey...Reynt...um..." Kailey began, I was about to acknowledge her until I realized she was speaking in a very low voice intentionally, as if she did not actually want me to hear her. Deciding to feign ignorance, I continued signing along. "I...ah...lo-...oh this is stupid, you can't hear me anyways." She argued, seemingly at arms with herself. Cracking an eye open, I risked a glance at her. She was looking to the side, her gaze fixed at a thousand yard point. "...and her heart is breaking in front of me, and I have no choice, because I wont say goodbye anymore..." I continued, now looking at her incredulously. Realizing I said the wrong words, her gaze snapped back to me, a look of sheer terror adorning her features. "You know, I'm positive you said something." I stated, a feral grin on my lips as she quickly turned away, beet red. "N-NO! Not at all, I was just thinking out loud!" She protested, almost comically.

"Ah, I see..." I began as I stood up, taking out the ear buds and walking slowly towards her. "...just what or...who... where you thinking about hmmm?" I cooed as I stepped well into her personal space and leaned down to be face to face with her, my nose mere centimeters from her's.

YoYoY

_**Roused suddenly from my light doze by a loud scream and the sound of skin meeting another surface of skin at a very high rate of speed I looked up and saw the inhibitor storming off out of view with the wanderer on the ground holding a hand to his face, red and swollen on the right side. Snorting to myself from the false alarm, I settled back in to the tree situated nearby and sighed heavily. If they did not move soon the other would arrive at their doorstep. Literally. **_

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><p><em><em>**Wooo-he! Would you look at that? Some zombies in a zombie fic of a zombie game with zombies in it. Zombies.**

_{/me dances}_

_{/me stop all emote}**  
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**Anyway****I'm going to stop with this fic until I get more than an audience of one, major props to her though, she is now my beta!**

**So, to review, If you want to see more just drop a review in the review part to tell me Yay or nay about writing the next chapter. Anon is enabled for those who don't have accounts! (I apologize for the shortened chapter, life just smacked me in the face with a large [REDACTED] until I cried [REDACTED] for [CENSORED] and whistled for a baboon!)  
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	4. Out unto white

**Grey Matter; **_Out unto white  
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Sighing heavily as I stretched out my back, having being bent over for the past few hours had taken its toll and I was getting bored. Shining the dim, old flashlight over the blue plastic boxes stacked to the ceiling around me once more in the unlikely case that something of use might be down here a small grey box caught my eye. Sauntering over and picking up the box, I swung around and walked back to the staircase near the opposite wall, the cold wood offering a sharp contrast to the cold concrete as I continued my journey up the stairs, the brittle wood creaking under my feet as I reached the doorway to the main floor and sat the box down next to the kitchen table. Sighing heavily once more, I crashed down into the chair and rubbed at my tired eyes. "For fuck sake, I hope something is in here..." I growled to the box as I reached down towards the box and lifted it up onto the table. Satisfied with the position, I lifted my crowbar from the floor and proceeded jam the point end into the small slit between the lid and the box and pushed.

OoO

After a large amount of fairly manly grunting and pushing, I had the lid off in several broken pieces strewn around the room with the box lying open on the table, a faint glint coming from the inside as if a mirror lay within it. Peering inside, I was beheld the sight of what looked to be a green box with a silver pistol in a grey leather holster and a sheet in the bottom of the box. Moving to examine the articles, I lifted the firearm out of it's place and held it into the light, the silver plating reflecting the light from the nearby window onto the ceiling. On each of the handle's sides where three gold engraved letters that read 'Q.E.D' that shone even more brilliantly than the rest of the weapon in the dim light filtering in from the small gaps in the steel coverings on the windows. On the right side of the barrel lay the engravings 'M1911' blazed in black, old style writing. Setting the firearm down, I lifted the large green box filled with grey clips of ammunition with the letters '**.45 ACP** (11.43×23mm) FMJ' on the side.

From what I knew, 'FMJ' means the bullet has more metal than normal around it and makes it go through more stuff. Good I guess. Finally lifting the laminated canvas certificate, I found it was adorned with something about being the winner of a national trophy shooting competition, the pistol being the prize I'd imagine with a grey, leather holster. Sighing heavily once more, I slipped the gun into the holster and clipped the strap over it as I stood up and stretched out my legs, small cracks greeting my ears as I walked towards the cupboard. Reaching into the cupboard, I grabbed a can of some non-descriptive pop can and cracked the top, the light spraying sound echoing around the dark house.

OoOoO

_**Cold. So cold. Must find warmth. Human-food warmth. See noise. Get closer, quiet. See shiny thing. Shiny metal, hurt stick! Hide hide hide. No notice. Gap in metal coverings. Look through. See grey one. Hide hide hide. No notice. Feed soon. See tree. Climb climb climb. Wait for come out. Cold hurt come soon.**_

OoOoOoO

** Growling quietly as I noted the other moving closer the inhibitor's residence, I had to stifle screaming at the other as my hard-coded predatory instincts yelled something about him encroaching on my feeding area. Shaking myself silently, I adjusted my position in my tree and settled back down. The wanderer had acquired a gun of some sort; he could take him if he attempted to break in. Suddenly, the other turned towards my tree with the obvious intent to do the same thing I was. Shit. Shifting silently onto my hands and knees, I tensed and waited for him to climb. This was bad.**

OoOoOoOoO

Setting myself back down, I sipped at the beverage**.** Icy crystals had formed in it, effectively turning it into an almost-slushy as I stared blankly out of the window through an open gap in the metal plating. Outside, I saw movement. "Shit." I muttered and set the drink down quietly before getting up quickly as possible towards the stairs without making much noise. Approaching Kailey's door, I knocked four times quietly in a double tap pattern three times. "What?" Came the harsh reply, causing me to cringe slightly, but I quickly regained my composure. "Something is outside, may be an infected." I intoned, my monotone voice echoing through the cold halls."What?" She hissed, whipping open the door. She was clad in black jeans and a thick looking pull-over blue sweater with the hood rimmed in a lighter blue ring around it. "Outside." I nodded towards the stairs, a silent order to follow as I turned and left off towards the staircase. "What's that?" She hissed quietly, tapping the holster on my hip.

"Looks to be your father's trophy pistol." I replied, continuing up the stairs. "Ah..." She affirmed**,** mirroring my flat tone. I just sighed in response as I peered through a slit in the iron coverings on the window. Quite honestly, I had no freaking clue what was going on. Outside in the blinding light lay two hunched over people on all fours, circling each other and growling loudly like wolves. One was clad in an expensive looking military winter combat suit with the hood pulled over the head with other dressed in what looked to be a mishmash of civilian winter gear that was layden with tears and red blotches. Stopping suddenly, the military one screeched loudly whom in turn was accompanied by the other one making a cross between a farting noise and a growl as he stood up and hunched over further, raising his hands that looked to have claws ripping through the winter work gloves that were coated in their own frozen layer of blood.

Mirroring his action's, the military one hissed his own challenge and stepped closer. Both froze for a moment then launched themselves forward at each-other, both becoming a blur as they tumbled around and disappeared out of sight. Raising my eyebrow and whistling softly, I looked over at my ever resilient to look away companion, who was currently staring at the nearby tree. "So, you think those were zombies fighting over our brains?" I half joked, walking over to the closet and taking out my gear. "What are you doing?" She hissed, motioning towards my outfit of which I had half on, moving to pull on the pants after fastening the holster above my jacket. "To go take a look-see." I replied in a singsong voice, pulling on my boots. "Are you CRAZY! Those things will kill you!" She now yelled, attempting to stop me by seizing my wrists. "I just may be." I deadpanned, giving her an irritated look as I finished with pulling on my protective clothing.

Standing in front of the glass and steel door that restricted access to the outside, I turned once more towards Kailey. Her expression was neutral, but it was her eyes that made me stop and turn to face her. They showed hurt, fear and regret, that of which pulled at my heart strings and made me feel terrible. So I forced a smile that felt like more of a lopsided smirk. "Be right back." I stated, turning on my heel and opening the door in one movement before I stepped out into the frigid white as it engulfed me in whole.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Blinding white whipped and swirled around me via the frigid wind that had taken the city for what felt like so long ago, yet only mere days had passed since the first infected human crossed the border and now only I remained. My Family? Dead. Friends? Dead. Companions? Dead. Pets? Dead. Even the fucking mailman attempted to eat me before I removed the upper right portion of his head with a .44 caliber round fired from my Mateba Model 6 auto-revolver that now swung at my side along with my arm that was clad in my thick black coat. Stopping on my pointless trek, I adjusted my black balaclava slightly to fit better under the anti-whiteout goggles I had donned that in turn tinted my vision a dark purple then checked to see if the ammo pouch I had on still contained what it was supposed to.

One hundred .44 rounds neatly arranged in quick loaders that stacked up to the top.

Sighing heavily, I began the arduous process of moving one foot in front of the other through the grey-tinted snow that covered everything for miles. My name is Markus Phaos, a twenty five year old scientist working for CEDA...er worked rather, as you cannot work for a paramilitary a bio-weaponry company that no longer harbours living employees in the underground super structures that lay riddled throughout North-America. Every one has died, and I could have stopped it. So now, I shall cull it one mistake of nature at a time.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**A/N;**

**Alrighty audience of three, I have crafted the next chapter! :D**

**But, I still plan on leaving this to hiatus until I get better at this sort of thing, I'm a tad rusty. **

**(Protip; leave a review saying just how awesome you think this story is and I may consider reconsidering this hiatus, but until then I'd like to get better.)**

**P.S. Many thanks to those who reviewed, and to those without an account, anon reviews are enabled.  
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